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Hi, I'm a completely new to this whole touring thing. I've done triathlons and one half Ironman before. Currently I'm travelling around the world and plan to cycle from Florida to Washington to end my trip. I've been reading a bit on this guy's post http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1&doc_id=7645&v=Qy and would like to do a similar route.

Anyways my main question is that I have a 2007 Trek Madone 5.0 (http://www.trekbikes.com/ie/en/bikes/2007/archive/madone50) road bike and wasn't sure if it would work for a cross country tour. I was looking at the Burley Nomad Bike Trailer for my luggage. I just wanted to know if this seems like a feasible plan.

I believe it will take about 4 months and cost around 3k-4k, does that sound to be in the right ball park?

This is still 4 months away but wanted to start to get some insight now when I have some spare time, any advice would be great thanks.

People have done this kind of touring with almost any kind of bike, so there's a good chance you can make it work for you. That being said! Many of us prefer lower gears (I hope yours is the triple version); if you can change out the cassette for an 11-34, and perhaps switch the derailer to match, that'll get you close. Pack light, you've got to climb 100,000 feet or more, and pull whatever you pack up those hills. Finally, I'd suggest you change your pedals to mountain bike pedals and shoes, so you can walk (and push) if necessary.

Are you planning to camp and cook? Your budget looks slightly low to me, but you might be able to make it if you don't eat out or stay in a motel very often.

People have done this kind of touring with almost any kind of bike, so there's a good chance you can make it work for you. That being said! Many of us prefer lower gears (I hope yours is the triple version); if you can change out the cassette for an 11-34, and perhaps switch the derailer to match, that'll get you close. Pack light, you've got to climb 100,000 feet or more, and pull whatever you pack up those hills. Finally, I'd suggest you change your pedals to mountain bike pedals and shoes, so you can walk (and push) if necessary.

Are you planning to camp and cook? Your budget looks slightly low to me, but you might be able to make it if you don't eat out or stay in a motel very often.

I'd agree with most of that.

Your odds of having the bike work out well increase dramatically if you pack very light. I did a Southern Tier ride from San Diego to Sarasota on a road bike without a trailer, but I packed super light. With a trailer I still recommend packing light, but not necessarily as light as I did.

It depends on your choices, but 3-4K sounds like plenty to me. I didn't spend nearly that much on the TA, but I was only 73 days so your longer schedule will add to the cost. That said I still think it is plenty if you camp most of the time and are frugal.

Do you think you can pull a trailer over mountains and up steep hills with the gearing your bike has? Assuming the stock triple, that's a low combination of 30x25. Not a very low gear for loaded touring.

$3000 to $4000 will be enough if you camp the whole way, are not counting the costs of transportation or gear, and you don't drink too much beer. Your gearing will be okay if you're young and strong and pack light. The wheels will be okay if you stay on paved roads. Two-wheeled trailers are okay, but they make it pretty hard to avoid the rumble strips.

Gearing. If its the double crankset, you are in big trouble. You can get a 38 inner ring instead of the 39 stock ring. Not much difference. 25 tooth big cog in back is not big enough. You can get a 10 speed cassette from SRAM and/or Shimano with 11-34 cogs. Low of 39x34 is not low enough to get you up mountains pulling a trailer. Close, but probably not quite low enough. A 39x34 low gear is problematic.

If you have the triple crankset, then you are OK. Replace the 30 tooth inner chainring with a 24 tooth ring. And still get the new 10 speed cassette with 11-32 or 11-34 gearing. 24x32 or 24x34 is a low enough gear to get you up any mountain.

Replacing the cassette will require a new chain. If you have a short cage rear derailleur, you may also want to replace it with a long cage rear derailleur if you change the cassette. Short cage will work, but may be problematic.

Tires. The 23mm standard tires are not wide enough. Get 28mm tires. They will fit your rims and brakes.

Trailer will work fine with your bike. I know someone who pulled a trailer with a Trek carbon racing bike. It was a single wheel BoB trailer but two wheel trailer should pull the same.

If you have the triple crankset, then you are OK. Replace the 30 tooth inner chainring with a 24 tooth ring. And still get the new 10 speed cassette with 11-32 or 11-34 gearing. 24x32 or 24x34 is a low enough gear to get you up any mountain.

Replacing the cassette will require a new chain. If you have a short cage rear derailleur, you may also want to replace it with a long cage rear derailleur if you change the cassette. Short cage will work, but may be problematic.

I agree with the triple crank being a necessity and the change of the granny to a 26 or 24T being highly recommended.

The stock Ultegra rear deraillure will not work and it's not just cage length. Ultegra rear derailleurs of that vintage, long or short cage, are rated for a 27T largest cog and, while Shimano is conservative, it is very unlikely that anything bigger than 30T is going to work and even a 30T can be problematic.

If you are going to fit an Xx32 or Xx34 cassette you will have to get an MTB rear derailleur. Any of Shimano's 9-speeed MTB rd's will shift perfectly with your STI brifters. Do not use one of the new 10-speed MTB rear derailleurs.

If you have the triple crankset, then you are OK. Replace the 30 tooth inner chainring with a 24 tooth ring. And still get the new 10 speed cassette with 11-32 or 11-34 gearing. 24x32 or 24x34 is a low enough gear to get you up any mountain.

Replacing the cassette will require a new chain. If you have a short cage rear derailleur, you may also want to replace it with a long cage rear derailleur if you change the cassette. Short cage will work, but may be problematic.

I agree with the triple crank being a necessity and the change of the granny to a 26 or 24T being highly recommended.

The stock Ultegra rear deraillure will not work and it's not just cage length. Ultegra rear derailleurs of that vintage, long or short cage, are rated for a 27T largest cog and, while Shimano is conservative, it is very unlikely that anything bigger than 30T is going to work and even a 30T can be problematic.

If you are going to fit an Xx32 or Xx34 cassette you will have to get an MTB rear derailleur. Any of Shimano's 9-speeed MTB rd's will shift perfectly with your STI brifters. Do not use one of the new 10-speed MTB rear derailleurs.

Ignore most of the previous email. You do not need a new rear derailleur. A short cage or long cage Shimano Ultegra rear derailleur will shift a 32 rear cog. Probably a 34 too. But definitely a short cage shifts a 32 cog just fine. Anyone who says it does not work does not know what they are talking about. They seem to believe things written on paper are true without testing it in the real world. My brother has an older Trek OCLV frame with a Shimano 600 short cage rear derailleur. It shifts onto a 32 rear cog just fine. Now the cage length will affect whether you have chain droop in some combinations. Long cage allows you to use more gears without chain droop. But both cage lengths will shift onto a 32 cog just fine.

Thanks for all the replies, wasn't expecting so much feedback in such a sort period of time. Unfortunately my bike is a double instead of a triple crankset, which seems to be the biggest issue with the setup I'm looking at. Seems like I might be better to just buy an older touring bike and get some saddle bags for my luggage. I do feel my bike would be extremely fast on the flats though.

On the plus side just finished up a motorcycle tour here in Vietnam's central highlands, such a beautiful country. I did see some bikers on the highway with their luggage, seems like might be going from Saigon to Hanoi or the other way around. Seems like it would be a decent trip as well.

[Ignore most of the previous email. You do not need a new rear derailleur. A short cage or long cage Shimano Ultegra rear derailleur will shift a 32 rear cog. Probably a 34 too. But definitely a short cage shifts a 32 cog just fine. Anyone who says it does not work does not know what they are talking about. They seem to believe things written on paper are true without testing it in the real world. My brother has an older Trek OCLV frame with a Shimano 600 short cage rear derailleur. It shifts onto a 32 rear cog just fine. Now the cage length will affect whether you have chain droop in some combinations. Long cage allows you to use more gears without chain droop. But both cage lengths will shift onto a 32 cog just fine.

You are sometimes correct but often not and I'm not just "reading things on paper". I have corresponded with many competent mechanics who have personal experience adapting Shimano road components to wider range gearing and am reporting their experiences.

If you got a Shimano road rear derailleur to shift a 32T cog, you were lucky that the frame's derailleur hanger was positioned to allow it. There are widely varying reports about exceeding Shimano's specified largest cog limitation. Some bikes won't even clear a 28T cog and others will indeed function with a 32T. Just about nobody reports a 34t will work.

I have toured with a CF Specialized Roubaix and a Burley Nomad trailer and the combination worked very well. I also used to own a Trek Madone 5.5 but sold it because of the double instead of triple chain ring setup and because it was fraught with repeated mechanical breakdowns. The seat post bolts broke 3 times (and they were torqued correctly), one of the shifters just broke in half under normal use (Trek replaced it--a $237 fix if I had paid for it) and the rear casette just never worked--made terrible noises and slipped out of gear repeatedly and no one could figure it out. That problem disappeared after I replaced it with another at my expense. This all happened within a few thousand miles even though the bike cost more that twice the Roubaix. It was light and fast and fun to ride, but durability is very high on my list. I think perhaps the endless quest for lighter materials may lead to fragility.

If you weigh yourself down pulling a trailer you'll definitely want lower than stock Trek Madone gearing, but if you have a compact crank 50/34 (although I'd probably swap the 50 out for something like a 46) and a 12-25 or 12-28 rear cassette and you pack lightly you'll be fine.

Triple cranks and super low gears or trailers are NOT necessary to tour.

staehpj1 has some very detailed posts about how to successfully tour on a road bike, and here is my take on how to do it on a Cervelo RS. Ditch the trailer idea they are heavy and encourage you to take more than you really need. Get a gear list together, carry everything on the bike and pack efficiently.